Happy Friday!  Welcome to the Iron Made Gym Newsletter.  Our goal with this production is to share information with our unique community that will help you reach your goals.

I believe so much of the excitement in the weight room can be attributed to creativeness.  The way a movement works and is felt by one person can be a completely different experience for another.  Finding variations that work for you should be exciting and help break up the monotony.  Here are some of this week’s exercise variations.
Ab hangers – pressing down hard on your elbows with keep your lats engaged and body elevated with 90 degree arms.  Descending slowly while keeping abs and back contacted will help reduce swinging.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLEFW5Ll4s8&list=PLmXe58O1aRG2hdBzW5A9bUOpWqq2RiHC2&index=4

Glute ham raise – this is an incredible test of hamstring strength.  Keep your knees dug into the end of the GHR pads.  When going down lead with your hips forward and under control.  When coming up be as upright as possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bnB4mpW26k&list=PLmXe58O1aRG2hdBzW5A9bUOpWqq2RiHC2&index=3

Cable side raise behind the back superset with machine rear delt fly.  We used this at the end of our workout as a finisher and did 3 rounds of 10 reps each.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-Ys_WQNg3Y&list=PLmXe58O1aRG2hdBzW5A9bUOpWqq2RiHC2&index=2

GHR ab plate exchange twists – load up your plate of choice and take it to the other side and then back.  This exercise is a nice variation to the ab twist machine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVCVRrD3iRM&list=PLmXe58O1aRG2hdBzW5A9bUOpWqq2RiHC2&index=1

Sand bag carries – this is a great alternative to farmer carries with dumbbells or handles.  You can use the plyometric boxes as a pedestal for the sand bag to provide an elevated pick point.  To increase the difficulty pick from the floor. The sand bag weighs 200lb.  If you need a lighter implement, choose one of the punching bags weighing 75lb.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inP8eRQjHz4&list=PLmXe58O1aRG2hdBzW5A9bUOpWqq2RiHC2&index=2

Close lat pull down – use the handles to provide a down and out motion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7RlboPprQw&list=PLmXe58O1aRG2hdBzW5A9bUOpWqq2RiHC2&index=1

Rope dumbbell front raise – place the rope around the head of the dumbbell and perform a front raise with elbows slightly bent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8VrxqCy59Q&list=PLmXe58O1aRG2hdBzW5A9bUOpWqq2RiHC2&index=3

Enjoy these variations!  We would love to see your favorite exercises and variations, tag us on all social media accounts.

Until next time Iron Made Community.
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Best Regards,
Kevin Byers

Happy Friday!  Welcome to the Iron Made Gym Newsletter.  Our goal with this production is to share information with our unique community that will help you reach your goals.

I recently failed, and I am so excited about it!  

Driving to the gym Monday I was so excited to deadlift I almost threw up in my truck.  I have battled spasms in the middle of my back frequently when going heavy on pulls.  To help this issues we began our max effort lower day with reverse hypers.  People can debate on how to ‘warm up’ till the sun goes down, but I like Date Date’s explanation the best, “The exercise is the warm up!’  Keeping this in mind we simply do the exercise and ramp up the weight.  With reverse hypers we did 4 sets of 12 and worked our way up to 200lb.  As we began our pulls, we negated sets of 5 and went straight for singles.  We loaded the bar at 640lb (potential 5lb PR) and I failed at the lockout for the first time in my life.  Here is what I learned:

-Train grip.  I lightly implemented it prior, but was never close to failing due to it.  I will now implement the I-beam attachment seated rows and pull downs 3 x 15 on one and 3 x 5 on the other at the beginning of the week then flip it a the end of the week.  I will also include using the axle bar for pulls.

-Pulling 1x every month and half has worked thus far, however my goal is a 700lb pull so it is time to adjust accordingly.  More work is required.

-Reverse Hypers are working.  Week 1 I was using 50lb and now 200+.  Progress has been made but more is required, instead of 1-2 per week we will now train 2-3 differentiating it between a supplemental exercise and recovery method.

-Westside Barbell conjugate training system is working well for myself, many of our members, and our clients.

-Failure offers chances to improve.  Without pushing to failure we can never truly understand what we must improve upon.  Failure also offers the chance to grow mentally. 
 
Let us all be more open about our failures, we can learn a great deal from one another.  Let us celebrate ‘failing’.  
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Until next time Iron Made Community.

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.” - Romans 12:10-16

Best Regards,
Kevin Byers

Happy Friday!  Welcome to the Iron Made Gym Newsletter.  Our goal with this production is to share information with our unique community that will help you reach your goals.

We have added two sizes of the Hip Circle by Mark Bell.  This is a more comfortable method to implement than a small band.  Here is a sample of the exercises we have implement thus far: (Click title to watch each video)

Monster Walks

Clam Shells

Shoulders 

Bodyweight Squats

Try these exercises and let us know how you like them!

We had the honor of offering a Senior Scholarship to Mohawk, Springfield, and Poland Schools again this year.  There were many great applications and we had the pleasure of interviewing them all.  This year’s winners are:

Mohawk High School – Shannon Lombardo

Springfield High School – Nicole D’Angelo

Poland High School – Galena Lopuchovsky and Maguire Franko

This year’s winners inspired me to always be willing to reinvent yourself, do hard things, and have fun with life!  The decision was so difficult at Poland, that we awarded two full scholarships.  Thank you all for the opportunity to be a part of these great communities.

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Until next time Iron Made Community.

‘When I think about what I would do if I only had a couple days to live, I think of the food I would eat and the activities I would take part in.  Then it hit me, Jesus knew, and he washed feet.’ -unknown
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Best Regards,
Kevin Byers